Podcasts give new perspectives to school leaders’ challenges

How can you find out why Sir Alex Ferguson would have made a good headteacher or what teachers should do if they don’t like children?

And where can you turn to discover quick wins for new headteachers or what really makes the biggest difference with school improvement?

The answers to these questions and many more can be found in the A Head Of Our Time podcasts – an innovative series of interviews that are adding a new dimension to Sunday evenings by exploring unique insights and fresh perspectives into some of the challenges faced by school leaders today.

The interviews of innovative education leaders by Evolve Managing Director John Bishop are providing invaluable insights as guests share how they have achieved transformational school performances.

John says: “I knew I would hear some inspirational messages and stories from my podcast guests, but I did not expect them to be so rich in practical advice for colleagues who are facing very similar challenges across the country.

“Anyone who is involved with or has an interest in education will find useful information from these innovative and successful school leaders.”

Some of the highlights so far include:

• Headteacher Alison Kriel, of Northwold School, Hackney, demonstrating her uniquely empathetic approach to all aspects of her outstanding work, revealing what her staff do every Monday morning, how she conquered self-doubt and what to do when a teacher asks for support.
• Rae Snape, Head of The Spinney Primary School, Cambridge, discusses why everyone in education must find their mentors and why partnerships and networks are more important than ever within education.
• Headteacher Paul Green, of Lyng Hall School, Coventry, sharing some of his ‘out of the box’ strategies, including how to solve recruitment challenges and why we must demonstrate relentless kindness to pupils.
• Educational consultant Gilroy Brown discussing the best advice for people thinking of starting a career in teaching, why mentoring skills should be integrated within teacher training and why having difficult conversations is a key role for heads.
• Headteacher Cath Rindl, who gave children at her school a voice, revealing why she accepted the challenge to lead a struggling school involved in the ‘Trojan Horse’ affair in Birmingham.
• Jeremy Hannay, deputy head of Three Bridges Primary School, Southall, explaining why children don’t learn from teachers they don’t like and why formal lesson observations are so overrated.

These interviews can be found on the A Head Of Our Time website at http://www.aheadofourtime.co.uk/podcasts.